Overview
- Roberto Benigni says he “fell in love” with Peter and emphasizes the apostle’s everyday humanity as the heart of the performance.
- The monologue was filmed in early October on a raised platform in the Vatican gardens before a live audience, with direction by Stefano Vicario.
- Rai co‑produces with Vatican Media and Stand by Me, Fremantle handles international distribution, and an expanded book edition is being released by Einaudi.
- Rai CEO Giampaolo Rossi hails the program as a public‑service gift and Cardinal Mauro Gambetti says the initiative was blessed, while the Pope was shown excerpts and remarked that it “speaks of love,” according to ANSA.
- The world premiere airs Wednesday at 21:30 on Rai1 and streams on RaiPlay, with the event positioned to close the Jubilee year and buoyed by Benigni’s strong past TV audiences.